PRE-GAME REPORT: Oilers at Rangers

The Edmonton Oilers continue their back-to-back set this weekend as part of a three-game road trip in New York when they visit Madison Square Garden on Sunday to face the Rangers.

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PRE-GAME REPORT: Oilers at Rangers

NEW YORK, NY – Keep it goin' at the Garden.

After the Edmonton Oilers secured their second straight shutout on Saturday in a 4-0 win over the New York Islanders, the Blue & Orange will look to carry that momentum into Madison Square Garden on Sunday as they close out a weekend back-to-back against the New York Rangers.

Tristan Jarry made all 18 saves to record his second straight clean sheet, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored twice in a complete victory to maintain their perfect road record at 6-0-0. Their overall record improved to 10-2-2 this season, good enough for first place in the Pacific Division and Western Conference, and only second to the Carolina Hurricanes in the overall standings.

Over back-to-back blanks, the Oilers have allowed only 42 shots against – a sign that Head Coach Mike Babcock's approach to suppressing opponents' offence as they work to make early strides in keeping the puck out of their own net is really starting to take hold in the locker room.

The bench boss is liking the commitment he's seeing from his team on the defensive end, with Sunday's win being a good example of what they're trying to accomplish as they focus on their play away from the puck at this early point of the season.

"We're trying to create a plan that works all year long and at playoff time, so we're trying to commit to doing things right," Babcock said. "We're going to get way heavier and way better offensively, but our priority right now is to be better without the puck and try not to give up as much and learn to play that way every night. You're going to have shifts; everyone understands that, but play that way every night, and you'll have success."

For Tristan Jarry, the netminder has strung together a pair of solid performances to register back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 2021. With Devon Levi out due to injury and the 31-year-old getting plenty of runway as the starter, he's taken the reins to great effect in recent games and looks to continue building back from a down year in 2025-26.

Coach Babcock lauded the resilience of Jarry, acknowledging the hard work he put in over the summer working with goaltending coach Peter Aubry to bounce back.

"I think the big thing is that anytime it doesn't go the way you want in your life, you've got to be mentally tough enough to make the decision that it's on you and do something about it," Babcock said. "And obviously, the opportunity was provided this summer for him to do that, and he did it and got to work."

"He's had some moments just like all of us.  He's come back this year, and it didn't go maybe the way he wanted, but he's been mentally strong. He's got a good relationship with Pete. They work hard at it every day, and he's reaping the benefits. But you just can't relax. You gotta understand the reason you're having success is that you've been working so hard, so keep doing it."

Connor McDavid's incredible production this season has become almost expected, after the captain added an assist  to stretch his own NHL record season-opening assist streak to 14 games on Nugent-Hopkins' first goal that was followed up 62 seconds later by Vasily Podkolzin.

McDavid has eight goals and 29 assists over his 14-game point streak and is showing no signs of stopping, as observed by his teammates like Nugent-Hopkins.

"Just the way that he drives the play," he said. "Personally, I've seen it so long. He just finds ways and even if things aren't going his way or the team's way, he'll find a way to kind of get us some momentum, and usually that ends up in a goal for us. It's been a lot of fun to watch, and I know he's not gonna slow down, for sure."

Forward Isaac Howard left the game early in the first period after a knee-on-knee collision with Emil Heineman, who was assessed a five-minute major, and the team hopes that he'll react well on Sunday before it's determined how severe an injury he sustained.

But in the meantime, Babcock says his injury is seen as "favourable" after he was seen walking after the game, so there's hope that it won't be too serious an injury.

"It's as serious as it looked," he said. "We're hoping for a really good kind of recovery day for him tomorrow, and then if he doesn't, then we'll get on with the medical part of looking into it.  But they think it's favourable."